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He followed close behind her as they made their way down the forest trail.
"Why didn't you send me back with the guards?"
"I wanted to make sure you were feeling better."
"…by dragging me across the forest?"
She smiled, a tight thing that might have been missed if he hadn't been looking for it.
"If you are going to faint again, I'd rather it happen in my presence where I can help."
"You aren't afraid to be alone with a criminal?" he didn't intend for it to sound sarcastic. He was focused on hiding his shame at her mention of the fainting spell.
"Hans, I have little to fear from you, even when you are in perfect health," she said, and he noticed the blast of icy air before he registered the fact that she'd lifted her hand in his direction.
"What were you singing?" he blurted out, shocked at his own insolence.
She glanced back at him sharply, and remained silent.
"Fine. Why do you care if I pass out again?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you'd prefer to remain on the trails and work into the evening? Kai could come retrieve you at dusk?"
He gulped.
She halted so immediately that he struggled to keep from running into her. The queen's head was turned to the right, as if she were staring at something deep within the foliage.
"Did you see that?" she whispered. Hans shook his head, then, realizing she was not looking at him, croaked a "No" that only she could hear.
Hans wondered if he was imagining it, or if the queen was trembling. There was no doubt in his mind once he noticed faint wisps of frost emanating from her body. He shivered and peered more intently into the brush she was staring at, wondering what could be hiding within it.
After a few tense minutes, the queen took a shallow breath and motioned for him to take the lead.
"Oh, I see how it is. Let the expendable person go first." He intended his comment to be lighthearted, but her frown grew and traveled up to reach her eyes.
"It's just—I—well, I would, uh," she swallowed, "appreciate it if you would… keep your eyes open. Please." She was looking everywhere except at him, and he wondered what she could be so afraid of, that it would force her to look to him for protection.
"Of course I will. I would—I will—I mean, uh, I'll keep you safe." He stumbled over the words, but there was no confusion in his mind. If he could make up for his actions months ago, even in a tiny way, he would jump at the opportunity.
Hans thought back to his military training, incomplete as it was, and struggled to remember some of the things William, his oldest brother, had taught him. There was something about keeping your knees slightly bent while walking, to be prepared at a moment's notice to fight. He knew the elbow was the strongest bone in the body. Most of his memories were hazy, dulled by years of instruction in the library with his tutor, muddled with images of his brothers bruising him for fun, and tucked back so far in his mind that he would need more than a few moments to drag them forward.
He led the way, often glancing back to find the queen scanning the trees apprehensively. When she wasn't focused on the brush surrounding them, she was rubbing her forearms as if she was cold.
When they reached the bridge leading to the castle, Elsa relaxed noticeably. She paused for a moment to stare back at the trees, their trail now camouflaged in the afternoon sun. Then she turned again toward Hans.
"Thank you." She breathed it sincerely and with much feeling, and followed it with a small smile, which he returned.
Then she led him across the bridge and into the stone courtyard, where they turned left toward the dungeon.
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The guards will retrieve you at dawn to continue your trail work." She said it with a tone of finality as she enclosed him in his cell and turned the key. Elsa turned to leave.
"Wait—" he began, but then realized he had nothing to say and was only desperate to remain in her company.
She stood watching him, waiting for him to finish.
"I, uh… I have been in this cell for 82 days."
"Yes."
"Your Majesty, will I stay here forever?"
She crossed her arms.
"Hans, do you think you deserve to be free?" She did not sound angry. She sounded objective.
Does anyone deserve freedom? he wondered, then decided it was not the time to philosophize, and cleared his throat.
"I am working in your service. I would like the chance to live freely."
"Thank you for your suggestion. It may be taken into consideration." With that, she disappeared up the staircase.
Next time, Your Majesty, I'm letting the tree monsters eat you.
() () ()
The next day brought thunderstorms which prevented Hans and the guards from working outside. Instead, he found himself cleaning stained glass windows in the throne room. He carefully dusted each pane, then used one cloth to scrub and another to dry until, window by window, the whole room looked brighter.
At some point during the immeasurably long morning, Kai poked his head in the door.
"Hans, follow me to the great hall for lunch."
The prince gladly emptied his hands and left with the older man. On their way, they passed a thick wooden door which had been left cracked open. From within, Hans could hear the unmistakable voice of the queen. She was arguing loudly with a man who sounded much older than she, and Hans' ears perked up when his name was mentioned.
"Prince Hans has completed every task given to him! He has behaved honorably for the past three months, and yet you still insist on treating him like a criminal!" She was half-yelling, and sounded very angry. Hans stopped walking out of blind confusion. It sounded like the queen was defending him.
"Your Majesty, pardon me, but the prince IS a criminal. You seem to have forgotten his actions toward the princess and—" The elderly man tried to continue, but she did not allow it.
"On the contrary. His actions are constantly played out in my mind, and in my nightmares. But we cannot continue to deny forgiveness for a man who committed a crime and served his sentence dutifully! If this were our justice policy, every citizen of Arendelle would be in the dungeon!"
Hans glanced up the hallway and saw Kai finally realize he was alone. The older man returned, probably to chide him for eavesdropping and force him to keep moving.
"Queen Elsa, please be reasonable. This man deserves to die, for conspiring and plotting to murder our royal family. There is no amount of service time which can remove his charges."
The queen was silent for long moments. Then she responded calmly, and almost inaudibly.
"Then why don't you just cut off his head?"
And with that, she stormed from the room.
The wooden door swung out and hit Hans' right shoulder, knocking him off balance. Elsa careened into his chest. He stumbled, tugging her with him, until his back struck the stone column in the center of the hallway. Gasping, he quickly righted himself, releasing her shoulders.
"I'm so sorry!" he said, still in shock from the overheard conversation as well as the collision.
The queen's eyes were wide, and she rubbed her shoulders where his hands had been.
"There is nothing to apologize for. Good day." She nodded at Kai over Hans' shoulder, and stormed off in the opposite direction. Kai looked at Hans, obviously confused, and motioned for him to follow as they continued on toward lunch. Before turning the corner, Hans glanced back and could just make out the short train of the queen's dress disappearing into the throne room.
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"Kai? Can I ask you a question about the queen?" Hans had finished his lunch and was back to scrubbing windows.
"It depends on the question," the older man replied earnestly.
"Why is she giving me another chance?"
"That is an excellent question, and one for which I have no answer."
"Well, then, why didn't she send me back to the Southern Isles?"
Kai was silent for long enough that Hans assumed he would not answer at all.
"She feared what your family would do to you."
Hans furrowed his brows.
"Why wouldn't she want me executed?"
"Again, I have no answer. Most people think you should be."
"Do you?"
Kai turned toward Hans.
"I did, before. But now I think I'm starting to understand."
"Understand what?"
"What the Queen means when she says you could prove everyone wrong."
Hans' lips thinned into a grimace.
If you understand, please explain it to me. I'm still at a loss.
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Another week passed, and another, until Hans began to dread the nights because they were so frigid. He would awaken every hour or so, shivering and pulling on his blankets in an effort to keep warm. His voice became hoarse and he caught a racking cough which overtook him whenever he exerted himself. Kai brought him hot soup every morning and evening, which cheered his spirits but did nothing to heal his illness.
One morning, Hans had just finished scratching the hundredth mark onto his wooden bench when he heard people descending the stairs slowly.
He heard a low, female voice whisper, "How long has he been ill?"
It was the queen's voice which answered, "Nine days. The council has finally agreed to let him be moved."
Elsa appeared outside his cell, her face a mask of calm but her eyes reflecting worry. She hurriedly unlocked the door and both women crossed the room to where Hans sat. The nurse placed her small bag on the ground and brushed Hans' hair from his forehead so she could feel the heat emanating from there. She turned to the queen.
"He's burning. Can we move him now?"
Elsa looked down at Hans.
"Can you walk?" she asked. He nodded and stood abruptly, which caused him to sway. The queen was at his side immediately, one arm around his waist and the other on his chest. If the prince had been well, he might have chosen to freeze that moment in his memory for all eternity, but at that moment all he could think of was how delightful it would feel to lie down in a real bed.
The queen and the nurse slowly guided him out of the dungeons and through many hallways which all looked identical. They arrived at a door which the nurse pushed open.
Elsa maneuvered Hans through the doorway and into the room. She walked him across the large blue rug until they reached the bed.
The queen is putting me to bed.
She pulled him to her, resting him against her torso as she reached behind him to turn down the covers. Then she gently pushed him down until he was lying comfortably.
The nurse took Elsa's place next to the bed and started giving him different concoctions to drink. She placed a damp rag on his forehead and removed his shoes.
"Queen Elsa?" she called, and the tired-looking queen appeared again at her side. "Could you fetch one of the servants to bathe him? I think it would make him much more comfortable." The queen nodded and disappeared out the door.
Once she was gone, the nurse continued her work, mixing liquids and pouring them down Hans' throat, then giving him a huge glass of water to drink. The prince could not believe how much better he felt, just from lying in a comfortable bed and having someone give him attention. It was as if he'd been in the dungeon for years.
"You, boy, had better realize what's going on here. The Queen herself is delivering messages to servant boys because she is worried about your health."
() () ()
Hans did not know how many days had passed, but he caught glimpses of Elsa's face as he floated in and out of consciousness. He thought he heard her singing a few times, and perhaps he even heard her crying once, but whenever he actually woke up, she was always asleep in the chair at the foot of the bed.
It was late one evening when he regained consciousness. He sat up slowly, and looked around until he found a glass of water on the bedside table. Hans gulped it greedily, and it soothed the burning itch in his throat. He returned the empty glass to the table and stared at the queen, asleep in the large blue chair.
She was dressed in a long, flowing gown of deep burgundy, but had an apron tied over the front which was darkest blue. Hans wondered if her hair was in the same loose bun she wore at her coronation, but he could not see the back to tell.
Would I even remember what she looked like at the coronation? he wondered then, shifting his eyes down to his hands as he remembered his sole purpose so many months ago: to gain power. What an empty purpose it had been.
He glanced back up at the queen, as she stirred in her sleep and the tiniest of smiles appeared on her face.
I know what she looks like now, he realized, and I don't think I could ever forget.
Hans decided against waking the queen, who might not have gotten much rest over the past few days. He instead drifted off himself, memorizing the way she looked, relaxed in the large blue chair, her moonlit hair somehow escaping the twist but still appearing radiant around her content smile.
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When the prince awoke the next morning, he was alone. He stood carefully and washed his face in the basin provided, then changed into the clothes someone had left in his chair. He wondered whether he was allowed to leave the room, and thought experimenting would be a good way to find out.
Hans opened the door and scanned the hall. The walls were wooden, painted white, and blue rosemaling patterns decorated each one. He decided to head toward what looked like a window at the end of the hall. Perhaps if he could look outside, he could figure out which direction to go.
But before he could reach the window, an odd voice called out his name.
"Are you Hans?"
The prince stopped and turned, but instead of seeing a person he saw a small white...
"Are you a snowman?"
"Yes! Hi! I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!" The squat little creature bounced toward Hans with its arms outstretched, and Hans took a few shocked steps backward.
"I—uh—yes, I'm Hans. But I'm not so big on hugs…" he offered, trying to control his breathing and not scream like a maniac.
Olaf dropped his stick arms and sighed, "It's okay. Neither is Elsa, but she's working on it!"
"I see. Uh, Olaf, can you tell me where I can find Queen Elsa?" Hans asked.
"Yep! She's this way! Follow me!" the snowman called as he spun around and headed off quickly down the hall. Hans followed, scratching his head.
() () ()
The library door slammed open, and Elsa gasped in surprise. She dropped the large world atlas she'd been referencing, and stood.
"Olaf!" she called happily once she saw him bounce into the room. A large smile lit her features and she crossed the room toward the snowman. Then Hans entered, and the queen's expression changed.
"Prince Hans, I see you're feeling better."
He nodded, "Much better."
"And I see you've met Olaf."
"I did. He's… affectionate."
The queen's smile grew. It was beautiful.
"That he is. Greta wanted to check on you when you woke, so I'll go get her," the queen said quickly, and crossed the room to leave.
Olaf stared at Hans, a goofy smile plastered on his face. After long moments, Hans grew uncomfortable and wondered how he could distract the creature.
"Hey, Olaf! What's your favorite book?"
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After Greta chided Hans for being out of bed, she thoroughly inspected his ears, nose, and throat; she listened to his heartbeat; she forced him to cough while checking his lungs; she shone lights in his eyes. By the end of the check-up, Hans was exhausted and flopped back onto his pillows with a sigh of relief.
"Queen Elsa, the infection is gone and he should be good as new in a few more days," the older woman said with a curtsy, then turned to leave. Hans reached out to grab her wrist with his hand.
"I don't know how long I've been here sick, but I'm sure I was a lot of work, and for what you did—thank you," he said sincerely. Greta smiled and patted his shoulder, then left the room.
Elsa stood to leave also.
"Wait. Your Majesty. I need to thank you also, for so many—"
"Prince Hans, that is unnecessary."
"No, wait, it is necessary." He shook his head, trying to unclog the slow-turning wheels and organize his thoughts. "You got me out of the dungeons, and arranged medical treatment, and you argued with those men, and, god, you were defending me, and you still haven't sent me back to the Southern Isles, even though they think you're crazy, and you used to come down and talk to me sometimes, and you let me work—"
"Please, stop. I am late for a meeting, and you are delirious."
With that, she was gone. The door clicked shut behind her.
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Greta was correct. It was two more days before Hans felt normal again, but when he awoke the third morning, he was in high spirits. He bathed and dressed quickly, then crashed out the door into the hall looking for something to do. Because he didn't know whether he'd be returned to the dungeon, he wanted to make this morning memorable.
"Olaf?" he called down the hall, walking quickly until he reached the window at the end. Hans was staring down at the stone entryway, which meant this window was on the south end of the castle, facing north. He could just make out the tip of the North Mountain in the distance, but he quickly shook those memories from his mind and spun around. The prince bounded down the hallway until he reached the door to the library. He turned the knob and poked his head inside, scanning the empty room with a frown.
If I were a talking snowman, where would I be?
He hurried down the steps and reached another white hallway with many doors. He picked the first one and walked in. Huge paintings filled the walls – classic works of art he'd studied as a boy. Hans paused only a moment to admire the artistry, then continued on his search.
He explored another library, an armor room, a few empty guest rooms, and a dressing room before finding Olaf on the lower staircase.
"Hey, Olaf!" he called, feeling as if he'd run into an old friend. The snowman bounced around to see who had called his name.
"Hans!" he cried joyfully, waddling over with extended arms. Hans chose to humor the snowman, just this once, and bent to hug him.
"Hey, thanks for the hug!" Olaf grinned at him.
"You're welcome," Hans replied, glancing down at his clothes which were, remarkably, dry. Elsa's magic was impressive.
"Hans, where are you going?" Olaf asked. The prince shrugged.
"Well, do you want to see my room?" the snowman asked excitedly.
"Sure!" Hans agreed, wondering what kind of room he would occupy. He followed the squat creature down the stairs and around a few corners before arriving at a door stenciled with beautiful blue snowflakes. The snowman pushed it open, and Hans gasped.
If he had been impressed by Olaf's ability to give dry hugs, Hans was now in awe. The floor of the large room was completely covered with snow. Huge drifts had piled up around the edges, and blocks of ice were scattered like furniture. A light blizzard was falling from the ceiling, and icicles hung at the top of the corners.
"Olaf," Hans breathed, "this is amazing."
"I know! Elsa is amazing. Of course, I love summer… but this just feels like home."
The prince could do nothing but nod, and marvel at the beauty before him.
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It was late afternoon, and Hans had spent the entire day with Olaf. He found the little guy to be very intuitive, and his giddiness was contagious. Before even lunchtime, Hans had laughed so much his sides were hurting. The two had a snowball fight, built a snow fort, made snow angels [although Olaf's looked very little like an angel], ate snow ice cream, took a tour of the castle, and spent some time in the portrait gallery. The day was winding down as the two headed to dinner.
Hans decided he could trust the snowman, and wanted to get his opinion on a few matters.
"Hey, Olaf—you know the queen very well, right?"
"Of course! Elsa made me! She's my best friend!"
"Right. Well, you see, I used to be… I was a jerk. I did something horrible to her and the princess. It feels like it was so long ago, that I was a different person. Anyway, I want to make it right."
The snowman just stared at him, with one eyebrow raised. Hans decided he needed to give him more.
"What I mean is, I tried to kill both of them and become the king of Arendelle. I'm not proud of my actions, and I'd do the whole thing differently if I had the chance again. I just don't know how I can make it better."
"…And?" The snowman still held a blank look on his face.
"Well, I was wondering if you, had any, you know… ideas?" Hans asked, unsure if this was the right person to have a serious conversation with. Perhaps Kai would have been more sensical.
"Hey, I know! Why don't you say 'I'm sorry for trying to kill you'?"
The prince sighed. Kai would definitely have been a better choice.
"Thanks a lot, Olaf. I'll try that."
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Hans found himself back in his nice, warm bed that night. He wondered if Kai had meant to escort him back to the dungeons that day, but hadn't been able to find him since he'd been entrenched in snow with Olaf.
He wondered how long he could bide his time before returning to the chilly cell and his hard, wooden bed.
To say sleep eluded him would be an understatement. Hans stared up at the ceiling for long hours before deciding to give up and take a walk. He pulled on his boots, new leather ones with clean laces which had been left with the new clothes on his chair. For months he'd been wearing tattered clothing which had served him just fine during the outdoor jobs and cleaning duties. These clothes were soft and crafted to look nice.
He made his way out of the room and down the hallway, descending the stairs until he reached the first floor, and headed toward the gardens.
If I'm going to walk instead of sleep, it should at least be somewhere with a view.
He crossed under a stone archway which led him down a dirt path into the garden. Hans pulled his cloak tighter around him as the brisk night air made contact with his skin. He shivered and glanced up at the sky as he walked further into the garden. The stars were bright and unclouded, and he located a few of the early winter constellations quickly.
Once he reached the trickling fountain located in the center of the landscaping, he paused and spun to his right, suddenly aware of another figure standing in the shadows.
"Who's there?" he called quickly.
A slender figure emerged from beneath a tree, and at once he recognized the long braid and pale face of the queen.
"Your Majesty?" he asked incredulously. Why is she out here in the middle of the night?
"Prince Hans. What brings you to the gardens this late?" She sounded calm, but he wondered if she was confused by his presence, or worried, or frustrated that he disturbed her solitude.
"I couldn't sleep. I assume you couldn't either."
"I spend many nights here. The sky is lovely." He looked over to see her face upturned, gazing at the stars he'd just inspected.
"It's true, even moreso tonight. Andromeda is especially noticeable."
The queen nodded.
"I find myself fixated on Perseus, but for some reason I cannot remember the name of the winking star in his leg."
"Algol. Head of the demon," he replied, the words slipping off his tongue before he reviewed them. Nonetheless, they were correct.
"Algol. Thank you." She smiled up at the sky. "Perseus was a brave warrior. Anna and I… we used to pretend one of us was Medusa, and Perseus would slay her. We would chase each other through the halls… I'm sure it was infuriating to everyone in the castle."
He grinned at her, but her eyes were still fixated upwards. There was a beautiful sadness to them.
"He saved Andromeda. I always wanted to save a princess like that, using an ugly old head… Cetus had no idea what was coming to him."
And then they stood, silent, and continued to watch the stars.
"Your Majesty, will I be moved back to the dungeons?" he finally asked, hating to break the silence but fearing the dread would eat away at his chest.
"No. The council has agreed that you will remain in the castle. The dungeons are no place for a human in winter."
He tore his gaze away from the skies to stare at her. His heart leapt into his throat, and he had to swallow to keep from dropping to his knees at her feet.
"I—uh—thank you!" he stammered, then closed his eyes at his own idiocy. "Thank you. There is no way to explain my gratitude." And he meant it. And he hoped his voice conveyed it, but he knew it couldn't.
She nodded, finally looking over at him.
"Prince Hans, I am retiring for the night. Keep an eye on Perseus and Andromeda for me."
And then she was gone.
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The next few days were uneventful for Hans. He now kept track of time's passing by looking at the calendar Kai had placed on his desk. It was late November. The dinners were growing fancier as the castle prepared for the holidays. While Hans was only allowed to dine alone, he would sometimes catch a glimpse into the great hall and see visiting dignitaries, along with the queen and princess, conversing over candlelit trays of vegetables, turkey, bread, and exotic fruit. They were always dressed in fine clothing, and the prince often wondered what it would be like to attend a dinner again.
It had been almost six months since he'd left the Southern Isles for Arendelle, and months before when he'd attended his last formal gala as a prince. He learned recently, from Kai, that his family had stripped him of his royal title and he was no longer welcome in their home. What small semblance of homesickness he might have felt was completely erased.
Arendelle was his new home, although he was not a citizen. Still, he'd rather be a prisoner with steady work and a room in the castle than a vagabond with no country.
On this frosty morning, Hans awoke to a bustling commotion outside his door. He heart quick footsteps and muffled conversations. The former prince dressed quickly and exited the room, looking for someone with answers.
Olaf did not have answers, but he stumbled upon Hans in the hallway.
"Hey! Olaf! What's going on?" Hans asked worriedly as a group of soldiers hurried past them. He'd never seen Arendellian battle gear, as there had been no reason for them to fight in over twenty years.
"I don't know! Elsa told me to stay inside, and she left with some men. I heard them say something about an attack," he said, waving his stick arms around in dramatic fashion. Hans nodded, then asked the snowman to heed the queen's warning.
He continued down the hall, descended the stairs until he reached the stone entryway, and stopped the first guard he recognized.
"Can you tell me what's going on?" he asked the guard, wondering if the situation was a secret.
The younger man, who could not be more than twenty, gulped.
"The—the kingdom is under attack! A group of rebels from Oppenham has been hiding out in the forest. They killed a family and raided their house during the night."
Hans' eyes widened. Hiding out in the forest.
Elsa did see something that day on the trail.
"I'm coming with you," the prince announced, to which the young guard nodded apprehensively.
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